Salt in Sourdough: More Than Just Flavor

Salt does more than enhance flavor—it shapes the very structure of your sourdough. From strengthening gluten to slowing fermentation, it’s an essential ingredient with a surprisingly complex role in breadmaking.

How Salt Influences Gluten Structure and Fermentation

Salt may seem like a minor addition to a sourdough recipe, but it plays a crucial role in shaping the dough’s texture, elasticity, and overall fermentation process. It’s the silent architect, working behind the scenes to ensure that your loaf turns out just right.

Strengthening Gluten for a Better Dough

Think of gluten like a web of elastic strands forming the framework of your dough. This network is what allows the dough to trap gas, stretch, and rise. When you mix flour and water, gluten proteins begin linking together, creating a structure that gives bread its chew and shape.

Now, imagine trying to build a sandcastle with dry, crumbling sand—it won’t hold its form. But if you add just the right amount of water, it becomes moldable and sturdy. Salt works in a similar way with gluten, tightening and reinforcing its structure.

Without salt, sourdough can become slack and overly sticky, making it difficult to shape. Salt helps tighten those gluten strands, improving dough strength and making it easier to handle. This is why salt-free doughs often spread out rather than holding a nice, domed shape.

Controlling Fermentation for Better Flavor

Fermentation is a delicate dance between yeast and bacteria. Salt slows down this process by drawing moisture out of the dough and creating an environment where yeast and lactic acid bacteria work at a steadier pace.

Without salt, fermentation speeds up, leading to an overly sour loaf with a weaker structure. The slower fermentation encouraged by salt gives sourdough its balanced flavor—slightly tangy but not overpowering.

In essence, salt acts as a natural brake pedal, preventing the yeast from going into overdrive. This controlled rise allows flavors to develop gradually, resulting in a loaf with a more complex, nuanced taste.

Best Types of Salt for Sourdough

Not all salt is created equal. While it might seem like any salt will do, different types bring unique characteristics to your dough, influencing both texture and taste.

Choosing the Right Salt for Your Loaf

Most bakers opt for either sea salt, kosher salt, or fine rock salt. Here’s a breakdown of how each type affects sourdough:

• Sea Salt – Harvested from evaporated seawater, sea salt retains trace minerals that subtly enhance flavor. It dissolves well and is a favorite among artisan bakers.
• Kosher Salt – With its larger, flaky crystals, kosher salt dissolves slower than fine salts but is easier to measure due to its even grain size.
• Himalayan Pink Salt – This mineral-rich rock salt adds a mild, earthy flavor to bread and contains iron, which gives it a pink hue.
• Table Salt – Highly processed and often containing anti-caking agents, table salt isn’t ideal for sourdough, as additives can affect fermentation.

Adjusting for Different Salt Types

Salt crystals vary in density, meaning a tablespoon of one type doesn’t equal a tablespoon of another. For precise baking, it’s best to measure salt by weight rather than volume—around 2% of the total flour weight is a good starting point for sourdough.

For example, if you’re using 500g of flour, you’d typically add 10g of salt. Measuring accurately ensures consistency in flavor and dough structure.

Avoiding Additives

When choosing salt for sourdough, always check the label to ensure it doesn’t contain anti-caking agents, as these additives can affect fermentation and dough hydration.

Sea salt, kosher salt, and Himalayan pink salt can be found in both coarse and finely ground forms, so it’s important to choose a variety that is free from these additives. In general, coarse versions of these salts are less likely to contain anti-caking agents, while finely ground versions often do.

If using a coarse salt, simply dissolve it in water before mixing it into your dough to ensure even distribution. This way, you get the purity of natural salt without any unwanted interference in your fermentation process.

Salt is far more than just a seasoning—it’s a key player in sourdough’s structure, fermentation, and taste. From reinforcing gluten to balancing acidity, it ensures your loaf is both flavorful and beautifully textured. So next time you bake, remember: a pinch of salt is more powerful than it seems.

This article is part of the "Mastering Traditional Sourdough Baking" series.